Actor- Guy Pearce
A mere memory problem can make a person totally confused. But while Guy Pearce deserves a mention prematurely for portraying the confusion so, so accurately, what makes his performance more special is that we never really trust Leonard Shelby. Loosely based on Jonathan Nolan’s short story, Christopher Nolan’s ingenious brainteaser is driven solely by Shelby’s ambiguity. Between sorting out clues and solving puzzling mysteries and conspiracies, Leonard emerges fully as a character with his actions and words- he elicits our empathy at first but as the plot progresses, he turns out to be smarter and craftier than he actually looks. Pearce delivers a gutsy and totally believable performance as Leonard, capturing his predicament yet nailing it with enigma and the final twist is totally worth it.
14- Jimmy Conway- Goodfellas (1990)
Actor- Robert De Niro
Joe Pesci bagged most of the awards and attention for his loose-cannon role of foul-mouthed, trigger-happy Tommy De Vito. But everyone knows that director Scorsese and De Niro hit off the best chemistry ever. So, it is De Niro as the smart ace gangster Jimmy who makes the best impression in this superb ensemble of actors. A hitman who loves to hijack trucks among other things, Conway seems to be much calmer than De Vito and other fellow gangsters but when he really loses his temper, it is best to stay away. Despite the air of danger that he carries around him, he always remains calm, biding his time for striking when the opportunity comes. But as the brilliant film winds down to a pitch-dark ending, it is here the seams begin to show- though Conway laughs the most at most things, he soon becomes jumpy, nervous, no longer the smooth gangster he was in his heyday. It is a fabulous performance, perfectly pitched, tense and also poignant and warm.
13- John McClane- Die Hard (1988)
Actor- Bruce Willis
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Action heroes have become quite lean in these days and Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and good old Schwarzenegger deserve to be remembered for bringing wonderful warmth to their macho action roles. But for me, it is Bruce Willis who made the most impression, becoming an action hero who will be unforgettable even as he makes mistakes and one who will elicit both our praise as well as sympathy. There is a nicely subtle and understated charm about Willis' McClane as he genuinely feels like a character out of context- a LA cop in snowy New York to begin with and then caught alone in a glitzy, hi-tech skyscraper with a nasty gang of terrorists lead by the equally smart and calculated Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). But with the right mix of physical thrills, deadpan humor and vulnerability, McClane soon settles to business and musters up enough bravado to say the now well-known line 'Yippee-Ki-Yay XXXXXX'. And even as he makes his way to the finale with bloody feet, he never loses his hilarious sense of humor as he corrects Gruber about a reference to a classic Western classic, showing how out of context Gruber is.
12- General Buck Turgidson- Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Actor- George C. Scott
'Of course, it isn't just physical! I deeply respect you as a human being!'
A simple line obviously but the way General Buck Turgidson delivers it as he is called up by his girlfriend in the midst of a tense military meeting is instantly memorable. Turgidson is not just a panicked lover, he is also a tough yet jumpy military commander who often finds his opinions dominated by the irascible President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers) in the War Room. Clearly exasperated with the pointless political discussions and keen on launching military action against the Russians, Turgidson comes across as a solid character, full of tireless, energy, a hot temper and endless brash charisma. Easy as it is to call 'Dr. Strangelove' as Stanley Kubrick's finest work, it is equally hard to pick out a single memorable character out of a fantastic cast. But while Sellers was superb in his three-character- role and Sterlin Hayden was compelling as the delusional general, it is Scott's Turgidson, coming 6 years before his Oscar-winning turn as General George S. Patton, that remains to be unforgettable.
11- Inspector Harry Callahan- Dirty Harry (1971)
Actor- Clint Eastwood
After 'Rawhide' album covers and Spaghetti-western movie posters, ace actor Clint Eastwood would turn to one of the most scorching characters on the big screen- the tough-as-nails San Francisco cop Harry Callahan. Dubbed sometimes as 'Dirty Harry', here is a man who won't take any bullshit. He is clearly the wrong man for any negotiations, for Harry does not believe in sparing the criminals. He takes him down, by hook or by crook. Pitted against a hellbent psychopathic sniper, Harry is equally ruthless but his nihilistic actions seem to be driven by the senseless crime happening around him. Dressed invariably in those suave herring-bone suits, Eastwood is not just an exceptionally handsome action hero- he is also a dedicated yet vigilant enforcer with a conscience. And yes, he is perfect for 'every dirty job that comes along' like rescuing a suicidal jumper from a building. Gene Hackman's hilarious and vile Popeye came the same year but Eastwood's charisma is unbeatable.
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